Training apparatus



Aug. 16, 1966 G. H. SHERIDAN TRAINING APPARATUS '7 Sheets-Sheet 1Original Filed March 19, 1962 GENE b4 S/sewnfl INVENTOR BY ATTORNEY Aug.16', 1966 G. H. SHERIDAN 3,266,173

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INVENTOR ATTORNEY 16, 1966 G. H. SHERIDAN 3,266,173

TRAINING APPARATUS Original Filed March 19, 1962 '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 l Ez 5-4 P o o o o i 0 X o 0 k Z/ b/ -a/ A f 76, 70'

- gE/ fi/ 56 66 INVENTOR ATTORN EY United States Patent Continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 180,428, Mar. 19,

1962. This application Jan. 10, W64, Sier. No. 337,096 29 Claims. Ci.35-11) This invention relates to automobile trainer apparatus, and inparticular to improved apparatus for use in training students in properautomobile driving practices and this application is a continuation ofmy prior copending application Serial No. 180,428, filed March 19, 1962,and now abandoned. A variety of prior art auto trainers are described inthe literature. Many of the prior art trainers utilizer mock-upssimulating the drivers station of an automobile provided with aplurality of dummy controls operable by a student to effect simulatedautomobile travel, and provided with a plurality of instrumentssimulating the dashboard instruments of an actual automobile. To provideincreased realism and to determine student response to simulatedemergencies and other situations which require certain driver responses,it has been common for many years to project visual displays, as bymeans of motion picture projectors, for example, for observation bystudents as they operate the dummy controls. The present inventioncenters around improvement of such training devices.

In order to achieve extensive use, a primary requisite of automobiletrainers is that they be extremely economical to construct, as comparedto flight simulators, for example. The much greater cost and relativeunavailability of airplanes and the much greater danger to life inpracticing flight emergencies in generally regarded as justifying theconstruction of extremely elaborate and expensive training devices, manyof which currently sell for well over $1,000,000 each. If high schoolsand driver training schools are to afford driving training apparatus,the cost of a trainer must be near, perhaps, $1000. In order to providemaximum effective training, however, it is highly desirable thatautomobile driving trainers be as realistic as is possible, at as low acost as possible. For example, it is highly desirable that an automobiletrainer realistically respond to almost every type of student operationof the controls, whether the operation is proper or improper. Becauseautomobile trainers of the prior art necessarily have been designedunder stringent cost limitations, most of them of which I am aware haveutilized simple electromechanical hardware and have made little or noattempt to provide continuous and accurate analog simulation. Thus it isa primary object of the invention to provide extremely realistic andrelatively accurate analog simulation using extremel inexpensivecircuitry.

It long has been common practice to test the response of student driversto simulated special conditions, emergencies and impending dangersdepicted in the projected visual display, by sensing or determining thecondition of various of the controls at times during and after theemergency situations appear in the viewed display, and it is usual toscore or grade student performance in accordance with the determinedcontrol conditions, a recorder frequently being utilized to recordvarious control conditions to provide a permanentrecord for lateranalysis. The invention, though utilizing a motion picture projectorhaving filmed emergency sequences and situations, does not record anyindividual control positions or conditions, but instead determineswhether student action is proper or improper, and then indicates, (andrecords, if desired) only student errors, preferably indicating er- "icerors to the student at a time during which they exist, and recordingerrors so that a permanent record indicating all errors made during asimulated trip or exercise is available upon completion of the exercise.The invention also preferably does not record or indicate every distincttype of error made, but instead records and indicates types of errors,which results in much less, but more meaningful and more comprehensibleindications and records.

Thus it is a primary object of the present invention to provide improvedautomobile driver training apparatus which more realistically simulatesautomobile operation by use of extremely simple and economical analogcomputer means.

It is an allied object of the invention to provide improved automobiledriver training apparatus which detects and/ or records student errorsrather than individual dummy control positions.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the feature of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the. construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the inventionreference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a View illustrating the general arrangement of a trainingdevice according to the present invention, partially in schematic form;

FIG. 2 is an electrical schematic diagram illustrating the simulatedpower, engine starting, and accessory system of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an electrical schematic diagram illustrating the engine, theacceleration and the velocity computer portions of the invention;

FIG. 4a is an electrical schematic diagram, partially in block form,illustrating means operated by the sound track of the training film forcontrolling certain errordetecting apparatus;

FIG. 4b is a Waveform diagram useful in understanding operation of theapparatus of FIG. 4a;

FIG. 5 is an electrical schematic diagram illustrating a portion of theerror-detecting apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an electrical schematic. diagram illustrating further portionof the error-detecting apparatus of the invention;

FIGS. 7a-7f illustrate schematically how various of the dummy controlsmay be connected to operate various switches and potentiometers.

FIG. 1 illustrates the general arrangement of the invention. A mock-up10 of an automobile drivers station is provided, with a plurality ofsimulated indicators 13, 13 such as a speedometer, a fuel gage, an oilpressure gage, a temperature gage and the like, mounted on a dashboard11, and provided with a plurality of dummy controls 12, 12 for operationby the student as he views the scenes projected on screen S by motionpicture projector P. Usually a plurality of trainers are utilized with asingle projector so that a plurality of trainees may be educatedsimultaneously. Associated with each trainer is a power and computercabinet 16, which contains apparatus to be described below. In additionto the usual indicators found in a conventional automobile, a pluralityof error signal lights I-E are mounted so as to be visible by thestudent, and if desired, duplicate lights may also be connected inparallel with them and located at a central station, such as near theprojector, for observation by the instructor. Each trainer also may beprovided with an error recorder 20, or alternatively, the errorrecorders for an entire classroom of trainers may be combined into asingle recorder at a central location. As will be made clear below,projection of a training film causes a series of tests to be made of thestudents reactions, and errors which the students make may be recordedon a conventional recorder to provide permanent performance records.Since persons skilled in the art universally are familiar with thelocation and nature of operation of conventional automobile controls,and because the mechanical connection of similarly-shaped dummy controlsto operate potentiometers, switches and the like is so simple and wellknown in the art, the precise mechanical details of such connectionsneed not be shown herein. In order to enable use of the trainer forinstruction in driving automobiles with both standard (manual) andautomatic transmissions, the trainer may be provided with switchingmeans which may be adjusted before the start of a training exercise toeither a manual mode or an automatic mode. It will be apparent thatparts utilized for only one mode or the other may be eliminated if onedesires to simulate only one type of transmission.

The principal dummy controls provided in the trainer are the acceleratoror gas pedal, the brake pedal, the steering wheel, the transmissionshift lever, and the clutch if a manual transmission is simulated. Asshown schematically in FIG. 7a, accelerator pedal 71 is mechanicallyconnected to close the contact of switch S-M whenever the accelerator isdepressed one-fourth or more of its range of travel, and to position thewiper arm of potentiometers R-2 and R-20 continuously along therespective potentiometer windings as the accelerator pedal is depressedagainst the force of restoring spring 81. Brake pedal 72 is shown inFIG. 7b mechanically connected to close switch S-6 as the brake pedal isdepressed approximately one-half inch, and to remain closed as the brakepedal is depressed further. Brake pedal 72 is also connected to positionthe wiper arm of potentiometer R-ll6 and connected to switch 8-51 toclose the switch whenever the pedal is depressed any appreciable amount,but to open switch S-Sl when no pressure is exerted on the brake pedal.Pressure applied to brake pedal 72 is opposed by tension spring 82during any of its travel, and by compression of rubber pad 83 after thepedal has been depressed a slight initial amount. Pad 83 begins tocompress at a pedal deflection corresponding to the deflection at whichthe brake shoes in a conventional automobile seat against the brakedrums. Similarly, switch 8-52 is connected to be closed at all timesexcept when approximately one-fourth maximum brake pedal pressure isapplied, and switch 8-53 is connected to be closed at all times exceptwhen a maximum pressure is applied to the pedal. Further, switch S-SK isclosed upon the sudden depression of the brake pedal in a substantialamount to operate a skid relay K-SK as hereinafter more particularlydescribed. Steering wheel 73 is shown in FIG. 70 connected to closeswitch 8-55 except when the wheel is turned full right, to close switch8-56 except when the wheel is turned right to within a range centeredabout onethird maximum, to close switch 8-57 except when the wheel is insubstantially a center position, and to close switches 8-53 and 8-59except during certain similar ranges of wheel deflection in the leftdirection. The simulated steering wheel turns against the force ofcentering springs 87, 88 through gearing 89. Wheel 73 is arranged to becapable of approximately 450 degrees rotation in either direction beforestriking stops 911, 92. The center band, during which switch 8-57 isopen covers approximately 90 degrees of wheel rotation, 45 degrees ineither direction. Switches 8-56 and 8-58 are open between 45 to 135degrees wheel rotation, and switches 8-55 and 8-59 are open at wheeldeflections greater than 135 degrees from the centered position.

The automatic transmission shift lever 74 is shown in FIG. 7dmechanically connected to operate a three-deck selector switch 8-4having five contacts on each deck. The five cont-acts on each deck arecontacted by their respective selector arm in a respective one of thefive shift-lever positions of a conventional automatic transmissionshift lever: Parking, Reverse, Neutral, Drive and Low. The manualtransmission shift lever a is shown in FIG. 7e connected to operate aplurality of microswitches in each of the four driving positions of theshift lever, each microswitch being supplied with a double-pole switchhaving both NC and NO contacts. The NC contacts are wired in series toindicate the shift lever neutral position. The clutch pedal 76 usedduring manual transmission simulation is shown in FIG. 7] connected toopen contact a and close contact b of switch 8-5 as the clutch isdepressed to or past a point representing clutch engagement, and toincrease the resistance of rheostat R-H as the clutch pedal isdepressed. The clutch pedal operates against the force of twocompression springs 85, 86, spring 86 not operating until the clutch hasbeen depressed substantially. A small motor M-l provided with aneccentric weight W on its shaft is mounted on the trainer clutch pedalto cause vibration which varies in accordance with simulated enginespeed, as will be explained below. The invention is also equipped withswitch 8-7 (not shown) which is mechanically connected to be closed whena dummy hand brake control is adjusted to its On or parked position, andalso equipped with further switches to be mentioned below.

The entire computer apparatus of FIGS. 2 and 3 may be connected to beoperated by power from a power supply shown in FIG. 2. A line cordadapted to be plugged into an ordinary volt outlet is connected throughcontact a of switch S-ll to energize the primary winding of aconventional step-down transformer XF-l. Switch S-l preferably comprisesa conventional key-operated automobile ignition switch having off, on,positions and a momentary start position, and the switch may be mountedon the trainer dashboard. As shown in FIG. 2, contact a of ignitionswitch S-l will complete the circuit to energize transformer XF-l inboth the on and the start positions. In the start position the coil ofstarter relay K-3 is also energized. Energization of transformer XF-limmediately provides voltages from the secondary windings of transformerXF-l, and in FIG. 2 although three separate low-voltage direct currentsources are shown provided, it will be recognized that one or twosources could be provided instead, if desired. Each of the DC sources isshown as comprising one or more germanium diode rectifiers and aconventional lowpass filter circuit. It is desirable to connect thesimulated ignition switch directly at the power input to the trainer sothat a single switch contact is capable of turning off all power to thetrainer, in a manner analogous to actual automobile operation. It isnecessary for realism, however, that power be made available promptlywhen the ignition switch is turned to on or to start, as a variety ofindications occur promptly in an actual automobile as soon as theignition switch is turned on, and therefore it is necessary that therectifiers used in the power supplies not require appreciable warmuptime. While FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the invention utilizingan ignition switch-operated starter contact to energize the coil ofstarter relay K-3, it should be recognized that a separate starterpushbutton switch may be substituted, or that an accelerator-operatedswitch contact may be substituted without departing from the invention.In FIG. 2 power is connected from terminal +12 via the normally-closedcontact a of a fuel level switch, which may be adjusted by theinstructor to either normal or empty positions, and thence via contact[1 of transmission damage relay K-l, the coil of engine on relay K-Z andthen through one or the other of two branch circuits, one of which isutilized for simulated engine starting, and the other of which isenergized after starting, while the simulated engine is running. Thestarting branch circuit includes switch S-lld operated by the traineraccelerator pedal to close whenever the pedal is depressed one-fourth ormore of its travel (FIG. 7a), normally open contact b of the starterrelay K-3 and a transmission mode switching circuit S-3. If it isdesired to simulate an automobile having a manual transmission, switchS3 will be positioned as shown in FIG. 2, connecting contact b ofstarter relay K-3 to ground either through a clutchoperated switchcontact b of switch S-S (FIG. 7f) or through gear shift lever operatedswitch 8-2 to ground. Thus, during manual transmission simulation, whenthe student turns the ignition key switch S1 to the start position,energization of the coil of starter relay K-3 closes contact b,energizing engine on relay K-Z if normal fuel conditions prevail, if theNC (normally closed) transmission damage relay contact b of relay K-llhas not been operated, if the accelerator is depressed at leastone-fourth, and if either the clutch is depressed or the shift lever isin neutral position. Thus the student is unable to start the simulatedengine unless he either has adjusted the shift lever to neutral or hasdepressed the clutch, and only if he remembers to depress theaccelerator pedal down slightly. If instead, automatic transmissionsimulation is desired, and switch 8-3 is adjusted opposite from theposition shown, it will be seen that the automatic transmission levermust be in either the parking or the neutral position in order to startthe simulated car and energize engine on relay K-Z. Once the coil ofengine on" relay K-2 is energized, it closes its holding contact b,which is connected to ground through normally-closed contact a of stallrelay K4, thereby maintaining engine on relay K2 energized even afterthe ignition key is retracted from its start position to its onposition, unless stall relay K-4 is operated, as will be explainedbelow. Accelerator-operated rheostat R-2tl is connected in series withmotor M-l, as shown in FIG. 3, to vary the frequency and amplitude ofthe vibrations felt and heard by the student, so that motor M1 speeds upas the simulated accelerator pedal is depressed. An additional contactof engine on relay K-Z is provided to disable motor M1 when thesimulated engine is not running. It will also be seen in FIG. 2, thatturning the key-operated ignition switch 8- to off will turn off the 12volt power and return engine on relay K-Z to its deenergized position.

Referring now to FIG. 3, closure of contact a of engine on relay K45applies a direct voltage via resist-or R4 to excite potentiometer -R2,the wiper arm of which is mechanically connected to be operated by theaccelerator pedal as shown in FIG. 7a, deriving a voltage which isapplied to an integrating network shown as comprising resistor R4 andcapacitor C1. This integrating RC combination provides a delaysimulating the lag between accelerator pedal operation and engine speed.The output voltage from the integrating network is applied via resistorR5 to contact a of the transmission mode selector switch S3. When manualtransmission simulation is being effected, the engine speed analogvoltage is applied across a voltage divider network shown as comprisingresistors R-G, R'7 and R-8, the taps of which are connected toindividual contacts of manual gear shift lever-operated switch S2. Ifthe shift lever is in one of its forward speed positions, the voltagefrom its associated voltage divider tap is applied, as soon as theclutch pedal is released as far or further than its engagement point,through contact a of switch 8-5, rheostat R-li and contact of switch 8-3to a further integrating device shown as including capacitor C2. Thescaling resistance between the engine speed analog voltage and capacitor0-2 is arranged, by selection of resistances R-9 and R-dti with relationto the taps of the voltage divider, so that the voltage applied tocapacitor C2 simulates the acceleration of the automobile. A givenengine speed analog voltage will be seen to charge capacitor C-Z at ahigher rate if the car is in 3rd gear than if it is in first gear orsecond gear, since a greater proportion of the voltage across thevoltage divider will be applied to the capacitor. The scalingresistances R-9 and R410 determine the time constant of the integration,however, with higher gear positions providing a longer time constant, sothat it takes longer to accelerate the simulated car in high gear thanin low gear, just as in an actual automobile. The voltage acrosscapacitor C 2 is applied via normally closed contact a of reverse relayK-S, which is closed unless the car transmission is set to reverse, tothe base electrode of transistor T:1, which is connected as aconventional emitter follower, to present a high load impedance and thusavoid loading down the (1-2 integrating circuit. The output voltage fromthe emitter of T 1 is connected through an adjustable calibratingresistance R-17 to operate a conventional dArsonval meter movementadapted to simulate a conventional automobile speedometer 1d. Thevelocity analog voltage is also applied via terminal 30 to the trainerscoring system, for a purpose to be explained below.

Connected in parallel with integrating capacitor C-Z are a plurality ofcircuits arranged to discharge capacitor ()2 to simulate friction andbraking forces. A nonlinear resistance sho-wn as comprising a simpleincandescent bulb Ll, by way of example, is connected to apply thesimulated velocity voltage across a resistance including resistors R-13and R 14, which drain capacitor C2 to simulate friction and tire andaerodynamic drags and like effects. If the simulated car is proceedingat a given velocity and then shifted to neutral, or the engine shut off,or the clutch disengaged, the voltage across capacitor C2 will begradually discharged, simulating coasting to a stop. The voltage fromresistance 1 1 is also connected through a brake pedal-operatedresistance R 16 and brake-pedal operated switch S6. Switch 8-6 closeswhenever the brake pedal is depressed slightly to the point wheresimulated braking begins, as shown in FIG. 7b, and then the resistanceof potentiometer R46 is decreased as additional brake pedal pressure iseX- erted, thereby discharging capacitor 0-2 at an increasing rate. Thevoltage from resistance I-1 is also connected via a further non-linearresistance I-2 and through a parking brake switch S-7 to ground. If theparking brake is on, closure of the contacts of switch S-7 conneotscapacitor C 2 to ground through such a low impedance that no appreciablevoltage can build up across capacitor C-2 and hence no appreciablesimulated velocity can result. Resistances 1-1 and 1-2 are preferablymade non-linear to tend to compensate for the non-linear dischargecharacteristics of capacitor C 2. Optionally, the speed voltage appliedthrough resistance L1 also may be connected via brake pedal-operatedrheostat R-Zt and capacitors C40, C-Zl through a series circuitincluding skid relay K-SK and brake-pedal operated switch S-SK. Assumingthat the simulated car has appreciable velocity, the sudden depressionof the brake pedal in a substantial amount will be seen to apply atransient voltage through capacitors C-20, C-2r1 to operate skid relayKSK, which relay, once operated, closes its holding contact a andremains operated unless and until the student discontinues simulatedbraking by opening switch S-SK. Skid relay KSK may be provided withadditional contacts (not shown) to operate a desired indicator, such asa lamp, and to connect an error signal to a recorder. Resistor R-2'7 maybe made variable to adjust the point at which relay K-SK operates andthus provide proper instruction for driving on slippery or dry streets.

When automatic transmission simulation is to be effected, contact c ofswitch 8-3 connects the output of the engine integrating network to adifferent voltage divider arrangement comprising resistors R-22 to R-24.The operation of the automatic transmission lever to select either driveor low operates to select the scale factor and the time constant of thevoltage applied to capacitor C2, in a manner analogous to that explainedabove for normal transmission simulation. Since automatic transmissiondriving does not involve clutch operation, the voltage selected fromresistor R-23 or R-22 is applied directly to capacitor C2 without anyintervening clutch-operated circuit. When automatic transmissionsimulation is simulated, a contact of switch S-3 connects resistor R-42in parallel with resistor R-3 to alter the voltage on the wiper ofpotentiometer R 1, R-2. Resistances R-2, R3 and R-42 are proportioned sothat the voltage on the wiper arm of potentiometer R 2 when theaccelerator is not depressed represents an idling speed at which thesimulated automobile tends to creep slightly, thereby requiring that thestudent apply braking if creeping is to be avoided.

Because operation of an automatic transmission shift lever to parking orreverse" during a condition of appreciable forward speed usually causesserious damage to the transmission, it is important to detect any suchstudent error. If the lever is operated in such a manner in theinvention, the voltage across capacitor C2 will be seen to be appliedvia contact 1 of switch S-3, contact c of switch S-4, and resistor R-26to the base of transistor T-2, causing the transistor to conduct andthereby energize the coil of transmission damage relay K-1. Energizationof relay K'1 operates its holding contact a, thereby maintaining relay K1 operated, and also opens its NC contact [1 (FIG. 2), thereby disablingthe engine and preventing it from being re-started in view of thegravity of such an error. Only by turning the ignition key completelyoft will relay K-S be deenervgized so that the simulated car can bestarted again. If desired, a further contact (not shown) may be providedon relay K-1 to operate an alarm. Also, the contact b of the K-5 reverserelay may be arranged to connect the velocity voltage to operatetransistor T-2. in similar fashion, to indicate comparable erroneousoperation during manual transmission driving.

When manual transmission operation is simulated, a voltage from thejunction between resistors R6 and R-7 is routed via conduct-or 19 to beapplied to first and second level-detecting and switching circuits shownas comprising transistor Schrnitt-trigger circuits 35, 36. The voltageis sampled from between the engine integrating network and theacceleration integrating network and represents engine speed. If eitherthe accelerator is suftticiently depressed and capacitor C- lsufficiently charged up to indicate sufiicient engine speed, or ifcapacitor C2 is sufficiently charged up to indicate appreciable forwardvelocity, the voltage on conductor 19 will remain above a given level,and neither trigger circuit will be operated. If, however, the simulatedcar is standing still with its engine running, so that zero voltageexists across capacitor C2 and then the student ceases to depress theaccelerator, the voltage across Cll will decrease, as Cl tends todischarge through the voltage divider (R45, R7, R-8). When the voltageon conductor 19 falls below a first predetermined value, Schmitt triggercircuit 3 5 will be operated, energizing stall warning relay K49, and ifthe voltage continues to fall below a second predetermined level,trigger circuit 36 will be operated, energizing stall relay K-4. Asshown in FIG. 2, energization of stall warning relay K N energizes thegenera tor warning light, and energization of stall relay K4 disablesengine on relay K-2, simulating stalling of the the engine, andilluminating the oil and generator warning lamps on the dashboard, stallwarning relay K-11 always being operated if stall relay K4 is operated.

During manual transmission simulation it will be seen that the voltageacross engine speed capacitor Cl is connected through clutchpedal-operated resistance R-ll to capacitor C2 when the clutch pedal isreleased. If the simulated car has no forward velocity the voltageacross capacitor C2 will be zero. Release of the clutch pedal under suchconditions will be seen to connect uncharged 8 capacitor C2 throughcertain resistances to C1, which will tend to discharge capacitor Cl ascapacitor C2 charges up. If the clutch pedal is released rapidly, sothat resistance R-ll is immediately adjusted to a low value, the voltageapplied to the trigger circuits will fall rapidly. If instead the clutchpedal is released gradually,

the voltage on conductor 19 will fall less rapidly, or perhaps not atall. Thus it will be seen that the stall circuits detect improper clutchpedal operation which would result in a stall. It should be noted alsothat the effect of clutch pedal operation on the voltage sensed by thetrigger circuits also properly depends upon which gear the student hasselected with the gear shift lever.

If the student is traveling at a substantial simulated velocity, so thatcapacitor C2 is charged up to a high value, and he then declutches andreleases the accelerator, it will be seen that capacitor C2 will beginto discharge slowly through the friction and drag circuit (R-13, R-14)and the capacitor Cl will discharge through the voltage divider (R2 andR3), at a considerably faster rate due to the lower impedance of thevoltage divider. After a few seconds of such simulated free-wheeling,capacitor C2 will have a higher voltage across it than capacitor C1, andif the student then re-engages the clutch, current will flow fromcapacitor C2 through the then selected voltage divider tap to charge upCl, raising the simulated engine speed and decreasing the simulatedvehicle velocity, just as such a procedure would accomplish in an actualautomobile. This backward flow of current from capacitor C2 to capacitorCl will be seen to be governed by the selected gear shift position,because the level to which simulated engine speed is raised depends uponwhich scaling resistor connects C2 to C1. In third gear a greaterportion of the voltage across C2 is connected to C1 through impedance(R9) than in second gear (R10), so that automobile inertial velocitywill raise engine speed more quickly, and consequently decreaseautomobile velocity more quickly if the car is in second gear ratherthan third gear. It will be seen that the transmission switch andvoltage divider combination and the clutch-operated switch and rheostatinterconnect capacitors C-1 and C2 and govern the transfer of chargebetween the capacitors, in a manner analogous to that in which thetransmission and clutch in a conventional automobile govern the transferof momentum between the engine and the mass of the automobile. It may benoted that in the invention the single connection between capacitors C1and C2 will allow the charge to flow in either direction, while mostanalog computing devices which utilize cascaded integrating circuitsinterconnect such circuits by unidirectionally conducting devices,necessitating considerably more elaborate circuitry to provide the manyfunctions simulated by the simple circuitry of FIG. 3.

The computer apparatus of FIGS. 2. and 3 also may be used in conjunctionwith various other known visual display means of the type requiring asimulated velocity signal in those arrangements where a single traineris connected to control a visual display.

The projector which provides the visual display to be seen by thestudents is provided with conventional sound pickup means, such as aphotocell which provides electrical signals in accordance with thecharacter of pulses recorded on the sound track of the film. In theinvention, pulses are coded in the sound track to provide fivedigitserial binary numbers. Each series of coded pulses is preceded by asynchronizing pulse which signals the advent of a serial train ofpulses. By providing pulses and no pulses during the five-digit times ofthe signal period, a serial binary number will be seen to result. FIG.4b shows as waveform #1 a synchronizing pulse followed by five signalpulses, indicating the binary number 11111 or, 32 in decimal form. If nopulse were recorded in the position of pulse #11 in FIG. 4a, forexample, the binary number would instead be 10111 or 24 in decimal form.The serial binary numbers read from the film sound track are convertedto parallel binary form by the apparatus shown in FIG. 4a, and thendecoded to energize selectively one of a group of output conductors. Forexample, if the binary number six is encoded at a given place on thefilm, conductor number 6 of the output conductor group Will be energizedas the place on the film passes through the projector.

The photocell output from the projector sound detector is appliedthrough a band pass filter, centered at kc., for example, and then to asquaring amplifier 41, which reshapes the pulses to a uniform height.The pulses are differentiated by means of resistor R- tit and capacitorC- 41 to provide waveform #2 as shown in FIG. 4b. The positive-goingspikes are applied via diode X-41 to a 3- millisecond monostablemultivibrator 42, and the negative-going spikes are applied by means ofdiode X- EZ to an and gate comprising diodes X-4l3 and X-44. The firstincoming positive-going pulse edge sets multivibrator 42, providing apositive voltage therefrom for 3 milliseconds. If a negative-going spikeoccurs before multivibrator 42 resets, diode X-M will be cut off, butdiode X-43 will be conducting, preventing application of a signal to a20 millisecond monostable multivibrator 43. Thus the circuit will nottrigger multivibrator 43 until a pulse at least 3 milliseconds induration (or longer) is received. When the synchronizing pulseeventually arrives, however, multivibrator 42 Will be set by its leadingedge and then will automatically reset itself before the end of thesynchronizing pulse, so that occurrence of the synchronizing pulsetrailing edge will cut off both diodes X- 42 and X-44 and provide anegative pulse to multivibrator 43. Multivibrator 43 provides aZO-millisecond output pulse Whenever triggered by the and gate outputsignal. The 20-millisecond output pulse gates on a 25G c.p.s. oscillator44, which will be seen to produce five cycles of output signal duringthe 20--millisecond period. The five cycles of oscillator output aresquared by amplifier 45, differentiated by capacitor C-42 and resistorR-42, and the negative spikes therefrom applied to shift a conventional5-bit shift register 46. The negative-going trailing edge of theZO-millisecond output signal from multi'vibrator 43 is connected viadiode X-46 to operate the readout line 48 of a decoding matrix 49 to befurther explained below. It will be seen that every time a synchronizingpulse is applied, shift register 46 will be shifted through all five ofits stages. The input signal from squaring amplifier 41 is also appliedas shown via diode X-4l7 to the input line of shift register as. Uponcompletion of the ZO-millisecond sampling period, it will be seen thatthe last five input pulses to have been applied from amplifier 41 willbe stored F in shift register 46, and the occurrence of the readoutpulse on line &8 at the end of the sampling period now will be seen toapply a parallel five-digit binary-coded number to decoding matrix 49.Decoding matrix 49 receives the five digit binary signal and energizes aselected output conductor depending upon the binary number read fromshift register as.

In the specific embodiment shown, nineteen different and separateoperating conditions of the simulated car are sensed to determinewhether or not student action is correct, and hence nineteen differentbinary numbers are coded on films to be used with the device, for thepurpose of indicating which operating condition should be checked, andan extra number may be used to indicate that no condition is beingchecked. It will be apparent that more or less tests than 19 may beutilized, and the particular five-digit shift register shown would allowup to 32 different tests to be made. When a given binary number isencoded on the film and read by the apparatus of FIG. 4a, a selectedoutput wire of the decoding iiatrix is energized. For example, thebinary number five may be coded on the film with a scene or sequencewhich demands that the student steer full to the right. Upon decodingthe binary number, matrix 49 will energize its output conductor No. 5thereby applying a voltage to terrninal 505 of FIG. 5. If the student issteering full to the right at the time terminal 505 is energized,contact 0 of switch 8-55 will be open and no signal will he applied todiode X- or relay K-SE. If, however, the student is not steering full tothe right at the time terminal 505 is energized, contact c of switch8-55 will be closed, and an error signal will be applied through diodeX-SS to energize steering error relay K-SE. Energization of relay K-SEcloses its contact 2, illuminating steering error indicating light I-SE.Contact c of switch 8-55 is operated by the trainer steering wheel to beclosed at all steering wheel positions except full right. A feature ofthe invention is that only errors are sensed rather than controlpositions or conditions themselves, which results in no outputindications if the student performs perfectly. Ten additional outputconductors from matrix 49 are shown connected through respectivecontacts (which may be switchoperated or relay-operated), to operateeither a braking error relay K-BE, steering error relay K-SE, or turnsignal error relay K-TSE. Contacts 8-51, 8-52 and 8-53 are operated byoperation of the brake pedal, and contact 8-54 is operated by the handbrake. Contacts 8-55 to S- 5? are operated by the steering wheel, andcontacts S-6tl and 8-61 are operated by the turn signal switch viarelays K-15 and K-td (FIG. 2).

Since monitoring of a students simulated speed is considered important,the invention includes means for detecting speed errors. By coding abinary number from 14 to 19 on the film, the associated output conductorof ecoder 49 will be energized, thereby energizing a respective relay ofthe group K-SM to K-S19 shown in FIG. 6, and thereby energizing speedtest enable conductor 7 6 by closing one of the a contacts of relaysK-S14 to K-S19. Closure of one of the b contacts of relays of the groupK-Sll to K-S19 connects a selected voltage from a voltage divider via acomplementary pair of emitter follower transistors T-13 and T-M, to theemitter of transistor T-15, the base of which is connected via resistorR-68 and terminal 36' to receive the simulated car velocity voltagegenerated as shown in FIG. 3. If the simulated automobile velocity doesnot exceed the instantaneous maximum permissible velocity, the voltageon the T-15 emitter will exceed that on the T-16 base, thereby cuttingoff both transistor T-15 and transistor T-lo. If the student is drivingat a greater than permissible velocity, transistors T-15 and T-16 willconduct, and speed error relay K-VE will be energized, illuminating itsassociated indicating light.

A foot-operated headlight dimmer switch S-HD is shown connected to powerthrough a headlight switch S-HL and to energize dim in FIG. 2 brightrelays K-D and K-B of FIG. 6. If the binary number 13 is coded on thefilm, thereby energizing the No. 13 output conductor of decoding matrix4 9, a signal will be applied via diode X-ll3 and contact a of relay K-D(see FIG. 5) to energize lights error relay K-LE unless the student hasproperly dimmed the headlights by his oper ation of switch S-HD. RelayK-B is arranged analogously to indicate intervals when the student mayerroneously neglect to switch the simulated headlights to bright.

As shown, further contacts on each error relay are provided to provideinputs to any desired recorders, which recorders may be advanced by theoutput of multivibrator 4 3 (FIG. 411).

it will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained, andsince certain changes may be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. Automobile training apparatus, comprising, in com bination: astudents station having a simulated accelerator pedal and a simulatedtransmission shift control; engine computer means including a capacitorand a first potentiometer connected to be excited by a direct voltageand positioned by said simulated accelerator pedal for deriving a firstpotential; an electrical potential integrating network; an electricalsignal scaling network including a plurality of signal paths havingdiiferent resistances and a selector switch connected to individuallyselect said signal paths, said selector .switch being connected to beopertaed by said simulated transmission shift control; first circuitmeans connecting said first potential to said scaling network to allowcurrent flow in either direction between said engine computer means andsaid signal scaling network; and second circuit means for connecting theselected path of said scaling network to said potential integratingnetwork thereby to provide an output potential commensurate withsimulated speed of a simulated automobile.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 having a simulated brake pedal and avariable resistance circuit means connected to discharge saidintegrating network, said further potentiometer being mechanicallyconnected to be operated by said simulated brake pedal.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 having means for sensing the magnitudeof said first potential, and relay means connected to be operated ifsaid first potential falls below a predetermined value.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said simulated transmissionshift control simulates an automatic transmission shift lever, in whichsaid signal scaling net- Work includes a voltage divider having aplurality of taps, and in which each of said signal paths comprises oneof said resistances, each of said resistances being connected between arespective one of said taps of said voltage divider and a respectivecontact of said selector switch.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said simulated transmissionshift control simulates a manual trans mission shift control; saidapparatus including a simulated clutch pedal, said circuit meansincluding means connected to be adjusted by operation of said clutchpedal to control the application of said first potential to saidintegrating network.

6. Automobile training apparatus, comprising in combination: a firstintegrating network for receiving input signals commensurate withtorques atfecting a simulated automobile engine and for integrating saidsignals with respect to time to provide a second potential commensuratewith simulated engine speed; first potentiometer means connected to beexcited by a direct voltage and positioned by a simulated acceleratorpedal to apply a first potential to said integrating network to providesaid second potential; a voltage-divider connected to be excited by saidsecond potential, said voltage divider having a plurality of taps; asimulated transmission shift control; a selector switch having aplurality of contacts connected to said taps and a selector armconnected to be switched to said taps in accordance with a simulatedtransmission shift control position to provide a third potential; asecond integrating network; circuit means connecting said thirdpotential to said second integrating network; and a simulatedspeedometer instrument connected to be operated by the output voltagefrom said second integrating network.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 having a simulated brake pedal and avariable resistance connected to dis charge said second integratingnetwork, said variable resistance being mechanically connected to beadjusted by said simulated brake pedal.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 having means for sensing the magnitudeof said second potential, and relay means connected to be operated ifsaid second potential falls below a predetermined value.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said con tacts are connectedto said taps through differently scaled resistances.

10. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said simulated transmissionshift control simulates an automatic transmission shift control and inwhich said circuit means connects said selector arm to said secondintegrating network.

11. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said simulated transmissionshift control simulates a manual transmission shift control and in whichsaid circuit means includes a second potentiometer connected betweensaid third potential and said second integrating network; and asimulated clutch pedal, said second potentiometer being connected to beadjusted by operation of said clutch pedal.

12. Apparatus according to claim 7 having a further impedance connectedto discharge said second integrating network; a simulated hand brakecontrol and a switch connected to be operated by said hand brakecontrol; said further impedance being connected to said secondintegrating network through said switch.

13. Apparatus according to claim 6 having voltagesensing means and inwhich said selector switch has at least one additional contact connectedto said voltagesensing means, and relay means connected to be operatedby said voltage-sensing means to provide an error signal indicatingdamage to the simulated transmission.

14. Apparatus according to claim 6 having a relay provided with anoperating coil and a pair of contacts, said direct voltage beingconnected to said first potentiometer through said pair of contacts; andfirst and second branch circuits connected to energize said operatingcoil, each of said branch circuits including in series a plurality ofswitch contacts, the switch contacts of said first branch circuitincluding contacts connected to be operated by a plurality of controlsto energize said operating coil when said control are in predeterminedpositions, and the switch contacts of said second branch circuitincluding a contact connected to be opened upon simulated stalling ofthe simulated engine of said automobile training apparatus.

15. Apparatus according to claim 6 having relay means, capacitor means,and a second potentiometer and a second switch connected to be operatedby a simulated brake pedal, said output voltage being connected throughsaid second potentiometer and said capacitor means to operate said relayto provide a skidding signal, said relay means being provided with aholding contact connected to maintain said relay means operated and saidsecond switch being operable to deenergize said relay means upon releaseof said simulated brake pedal.

16. Automobile training apparatus, comprising, in combination a studentsstation having a simulated accelerator pedal and a simulatedtransmission shift control; engine computer means including a firstpotentiometer connected to be excited by a direct voltage and positionedby said simulated accelerator pedal for deriving a first potential; anelectrical potential integrating network; an electrical signal scalingnetwork having a plurality of signal paths having different resistancesand a selector switch connected to individually selected said signalpaths, said selector switch being connected to be operated by saidsimulated transmission shifit lever; first circuit means connecting saidfirst potential to said scaling network; and second circuit means forconnecting the selected path of said scaling network to said potentialintegrating network, thereby to provide an output potential commensuratewith simulated speed of a simulated automobile; projector means forproviding a succession of stimuli for observation from said studentsstation; means synchronized with said projector means for providing asuccession of further signal potentials; means for comparing themagnitude of said output potential successively with the magnitudes 13of each of said further signal potentials; and indicating meansresponsive to said means for comparing for indica ting whenever saidoutput potential exceeds any of said succession of further signalpotentials in magnitude.

17. Automobile training apparatus, comprising, in combination: astudents station having a simulated accelerator pedal and a simulatedtransmission shift control; a resistance-capacitance potentialintegrating network; means operated by said accelerator pedal and saidcontrol for providing a potential; first circuit means for applying saidpotential to said integrating network; a simulated brake control; andsecond circuit means connected to discharge said integrating network,said second circuit means including afirst resistance having anon-linear voltagecurrent characteristic and a variable secondresistance, said second resistance being mechanically connected to beadjusted by operation of said simulated brake control, said non-linearcharacteristic of said first resistance serving to linearize thedischarge of said integrating network. 18. Apparatus according to claim17 in which said first resistance comprises an incandescent lamp.

19. Automobile training apparatus, comprising, in combination: astudent's station having a plurality of controls simulating those of anautomobile;

film projector means for displaying discrete sequences of visualstimulus information to said students station from film means havingrecorded thereon at selected intervals along its length encoded groupsof pulses, each group corresponding to the desired oper' ation of acertain one or a certain group of said controls during the display ofeach said discrete sequence;

decoding means having a plurality of output conductors responsive tosaid pulse groups for energizing respective ones of said outputconductors associated with respective of said pulse groups;

and circuit means including switch means and error indicator meansoperatively coupled to each of said output conductors, each of saidswitch means being o-per-atively coupled to certain ones of saidsimulated controls, whereby the desired operation of said controlsactuates said switch means when the latters output conductor isenergized to inhibit operation of said error indicator means.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 in which each of said groups ofpulses comprises a serial binary pulse train; and in which saidapparatus includes means responsive to serial binary pulse trains forconverting said trains into parallel binary signals; and circuit meansfor applying said parallel binary signals to said decoding means.

21. Apparatus according to claim 19 having means responsive to operationof said controls for providing a voltage commensurate with simulatedautomobile speed; means connected to one of said output conductors forderiving a second voltage commensurate with a maximum permissible speed;and indicating means responsive to said voltages for providing anindication if said simulated speed exceeds maximum permisssible speed.

22. Apparatus according to claim 19 in which said error indicator meansincludes a plurality of indicating lights and is located at saidstudents station generally in front of said student to be observable bysaid student in the same general direction as said display produced bysaid film projector means.

23. Automobile driver training apparatus, comprising, in combination: aplurality of simulated automobile driver stations for simultaneouslytraining a plurality of students, each of said stations including arespective plurality of simulated controls operable by a student; motionpicture projection means for providing a sequence of scenes capable ofbeing viewed simultaneously from each of said stations; means forgenerating a sequence of different electrical signals in timed relationto the provision of said sequence of scenes, each of said electricalsignals being coded to correspond to a desired operation of one or moreof said simulated controls; a group of error-indicating means individualto each of said stations and visible by the student at each respectivestation, each of the error-indicating means in each group beingassociated with a respective class of error, each said class of errorbeing associated with mis-operation of one or a selected group of saidcontrols; and means associated with each station, responsive to theoperation of the controls at said station and responsive to the one ofthe electrical signals generated at a given time, for comparing theoperation of a selected one or a selected group of said controls withthe desired operation associated with said coded electrical signal, andfor operating said error-indicating means corresponding to saidmisoperated one or selected group of controls.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23 in which at least one of saidelectrical signals is coded to require a desired instantaneous positionof a predetermined one of said controls at said given time in order toavoid operating said error-indicating means.

25. Apparatus according to claim 23 in which at least one of saidelectrical signals is coded to require a desired simulated conditioncorresponding to a predetermined history of operation of one or more ofsaid controls prior to said given time in order to avoid operating saiderrorindicating means.

26. Apparatus according to claim 23 having a further error-indicatingmeans at each of said stations; and means responsive to operation of oneor more of said controls but independent of said sequence of differentelec trical signals for actuating said further error-indicating means.

27. Apparatus according to claim 23 in which the laststated meansincludes means for providing error output signals and recorder means forrecording sai-d error output signals.

28. Apparatus according to claim 23 in which said different electricalsignals comprise serial pulse trains, and in which the last-recitedmean-s includes: means for converting each such serial pulse train to arespective first parallel digital signal; a plurality of switch meansconnected to said one or selected group of controls for providing asecond parallel digital signal; and means for comparing said first andsecond dig-ital signals to provide an error signal for selectivelyoperating said error-indicating means.

29. Apparatus according to claim 28 in which said means for convertingincludes a digital shift register means.

References Cited by the Examiner EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, LEONARD W. VARNER,

Examiners. S. M. BENDER, Assistant Examiner.

19. AUTOMOBILE TRAINING APPARATUS, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: ASTUDENT''S STATION HAVING A PLURALITY OF CONTROLS SIMULATING THOSE OF ANAUTOMOBILE; FILM PROJECTOR MEAND FOR DISPLAYING DISCRETE SEQUENCES OFVISUAL STIMULUS INFORMATION TO SAID STUDENT''S STATION FROM FILM MEANSHAVING RECORD THEREON AT SELECTED INTERVALS ALONG ITS LENGTH ENCODEDGROUPS OF PULSES, EACH GROUP CORRESPONDING TO THE DESIRED OPERATION OF ACERTAIN ONE OR A CERTAIN GROUP OF SAID CONTROLS DURING THE DISPLAY OFEACH SAID DISCRETE SEQUENCE; DECODING MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTPUTCONDUCTORS RESPECTIVE TO SAID PULSE GROUPS FOR ENERGIZING RESPECTIVEONES OF SAID OUTPUT CONDUCTORS ASSOCIATED WITH RESPECTIVE OF SAID PULSEGROUPS;